Of Cookie Dough and Grinches
by SlytherinDemigod18
Summary: Never trust the boys to make cookies by themselves.


**I have no idea if TVs count as electronics that the Demigods can't use, but I don't care. They've been seen (or read?) watching TV several times throughout the books, so I figure maybe they can use them? If they can't, whatever. My story, my rules. This is a special Christmas one-shot I wrote. Happy Holidays!**

Annabeth stopped in the doorway of the kitchen and blinked several times, unsure of what she saw. "Oh my gods, Percy...What in Hades happened here?"

"Don't use my dad's name as a curse word!" Came Nico's answering shout from the other room.

Annabeth said nothing in response, just stared at her sheepish boyfriend. There was a pattering of feet behind her and Piper, Hazel, Nico, Reyna, and Calypso appeared at her back. They too started in shock at the disaster that was the kitchen. Blue cookie dough was splattered against the walls, flour was overturned on the counter, something that looked like butter was burning on the stove, and what seemed to be an entire carton of milk had been spilled on the ground.

"Um," Percy cleared his throat, "Surprise?"

"How in Zeus's name do you manage to do that?" Calypso asked, arms crossed.

Leo turned in surprise, "Sunshine! I thought you were in the other room?"

"I was," Calypso answered, raising an eyebrow, "Until what sounded like machine gun fire came from the kitchen."

The mechanic grinned guiltily and pushed Frank to the front from where the Chinese-Canadian was washing dishes, "It was his idea!"

"What the-? Leo, it was not my idea and you know it!" Frank said.

Before a fight could start, Jason came into the kitchen, drying his hair with a towel, "Leo, we are not doing that again. Next time we'll-" He stopped when he saw Piper and the others standing in the doorway, "Oh, hey guys. What's up?"

"Why is your hair wet?" Piper asked incredulously, "Did Leo rig the sink again?"

Ignoring Leo's protest ("Hey! Beauty Queen, I am offended!"), Jason chuckled, "No, his contraption just fired-"

Suddenly, Percy lunged across the counter and slammed a hand over Jason's lips. "Dude! It's supposed to be a surprise!"

"What's supposed to be a surprise?" Reyna asked suspiciously.

At that moment, the oven dinged and Will rushed over to it, turning the dial to off and grabbing a pair of oven mitts. He reached into the oven and pulled out a cookie sheet of blue cookies. He set them on the counter and swatted Percy's hand away when he tried to sneak one. "They're too hot to eat right now."

Percy pouted and slunk away to the corner, messaging his hand where Will had slapped him.

Hazel blinked, "But- how do you make this kind of mess making _cookies_?"

Indeed, the mess was worse than they'd originally thought. Now, they could see the bowls stuffed haphazardly into the cupboards and a broken sugar bowl spilling the sweet crystals onto the floor where they mixed with water from the overflowing sink to make a sticky paste. Soap bubbles were everywhere - both on the boys and the countertops.

"Ask Leo about that," Frank said, crossing his arms, "He thought it would make everything easier if he built a machine to make the cookies exactly the same size, but it acted like a cannon and started firing the dough everywhere."

Several of the other boys glared playfully at Leo, who chuckled nervously, "Um, sorry?"

Nico just rolled his eyes, "And yet, you somehow managed to make the perfect cookies?"

Will shrugged, "I guess so?"

"Whatever the case," Annabeth said, moving to drag her boyfriend out of the shadows, "This kitchen needs to be cleaned - and without the use of Leo's machines this time."

They all shuddered, remembering what had happened last time they let Buford clean the kitchen.

"Good idea," Piper said.

oO0Oo

It took them nearly an hour to clean the kitchen together, but they had fun doing it. They belted out Christmas carols at the top of their lungs, surely scaring the neighbors in the adjoining apartments. Percy, of course, took the time to sneak several kisses with Annabeth under the mistletoe until they were interrupted by Jason, who just looked at them in a way a father would to a misbehaving child. They parted sheepishly and went back to cleaning.

"It will never cease to amaze me," Reyna said as they were all settled into the living room with cookies and hot chocolate, "That you guys are able to lead armies into war and defeat evil heard about only in legends, and yet put you in a kitchen and suddenly all Hades breaks loose."

Nico grumbled something about his father and curses, and Will grinned and pecked him on the forehead.

"In our defense," Percy said, "Fighting monsters is easier," He grinned at the laughs he got, "Anyways, Death Breath, Hazel, it's time to get you guys caught up on seventy years of missed Christmas classics. How about we start with _How the Grinch Stole Christmas_?"

Jason cocked his head in confusion, "What's that?"

"Right, I forgot," Percy groaned, "You've lived in a military camp since you were three. I guess I have more work to do than I thought."

Annabeth elbowed him in the ribs and he doubled over, laughing despite the pain. That caused them all to break into laughter again and Frank reached over to the coffee table and clicked the remote. The television flickered to life, the cartoon grinch sulking his way across the screen. They all fell silent in the darkness of the living room. For once, they didn't have to worry about monster attacks or rogue gods. There were no prophecies to be told and no wars to be fought. Not anymore. They were finally at peace.


End file.
